The b quark low-scale running mass m_kin
 is determined from an analysis
 of the Upsilon sum rules in the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO).
 It is demonstrated that using this mass one can significantly
 improve  the convergence of  the perturbation series for the
 spectral density  moments. We obtain 
 m_kin( 1 GeV ) = 4.56 \pm 0.06 GeV.
 Using this result we derive the value of the MS-bar
 mass  m:   m ) = 4.20 \pm 0.1 GeV.
 Contrary to the low-scale running mass, the pole mass of the
 b quark cannot be  reliably determined from the sum rules.
 As a byproduct of our study we find the NNLO analytical expression 
 for the cross section e+e- –> Q\bar Q of the quark antiquark 
 pair production in the threshold region, as well as the energy levels 
 and the wave functions at the origin for the ^1S_3 
 bound states of Q\bar Q.
 m ) = 4.20 \pm 0.1 GeV.
 Contrary to the low-scale running mass, the pole mass of the
 b quark cannot be  reliably determined from the sum rules.
 As a byproduct of our study we find the NNLO analytical expression 
 for the cross section e+e- –> Q\bar Q of the quark antiquark 
 pair production in the threshold region, as well as the energy levels 
 and the wave functions at the origin for the ^1S_3 
 bound states of Q\bar Q.